Whiffletree-coupling.



No. 805,527. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905. A. J. BURGER.

WHIFFLETREE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21'. 1904.

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W/7'NE5SES: lNVENTOR A TTORN E Ki UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WHlFFLETREE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Applicatioufiled January 21,1904. Serial No. 190,035.

To (all whom, it nuty cmwern:

Be it known that I, ANTON J. BURGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrill, county of Lincoln, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Whifiietree and Evener Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in whiffietree and evener couplings.

Heretofore couplings have been formed in which the members were coincident with the central portions of the cross-bar and whiffletree, respectively, and such couplings have been found to frequently give way under heavy strains, the members being sometimes broken and sometimes tornfrom their fastenmgs.

The object of my invention is to provide a form of coupling in which the members will mutually reinforce each other in advance of the point of connection with the cross-bar and whifiietree, special regard being had for resisting the twisting strain, due to the fact that the supporting-bar is not in the direct line of draft upon the whiflletree or evener.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention, showing the same as used for coupling a whifiletree to the cross-bar of the thills. Fig. 2 is a sectional view drawn transversely of the cross-bar and whiflietree on the line of the pivot-bolt.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters in both views.

1 is the cross-bar of the thills; 2, a portion of one of the thills.

3 is a whiffletree.

4 is a pivot-bolt used for connecting the whiffietree with the cross-bar.

The upper surface of the cross-bar is provided with a coupling member 6, secured to the cross-bar by screws 7. The central portion of the member-6 is provided with an upwardly-projecting circular shoulder 8, from the central portion of which a second shoulder 9 of smaller diameter also projects upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. The pivot-bolt 4 passes through a central aperture in the parts 8 and 9 and the plate 6. A counterpart plate 12 is secured to the under surface of the whiffletree 3 by screws 13, this plate being centrally recessed for the reception of the part 8 and apertured for the reception of the part 9. The parts 8 and 9 are thus arranged to interact with the plate 12 and relieve the strain upon the pivot-bolt 4.

14 is a brace secured to the rear face of the cross-bar at 15 and provided with an eye through which the end of the pivot-bolt 4 passes. This brace is extended backwardly in the form of a loop to permit the Whittletree 8 to oscillate freely upon its pivot.

The outer ends of the member 6 are con nected by a forwardly-extending curved arm 17, and the outer ends of the member 12 are similarly connected by a curved arm 18, the arm 17 being provided with anupwardly-projecting rib 20, fitting a corresponding groove 21 in the arm 18. The arms 17 and 18 extend to a considerable distance in advance of the crossbar and mutually reinforce each other. The interacting rib 20 is curved in an arc described from the pivot-bolt 4 as the center. With this construction a much broader turning-base is provided than can be secured with the ordinary couplings. The rear brace 14 prevents the members from separating even though the pivot-bolt should become loosened.

It will be understood that the abovedescribed coupling members may be applied to couple an evener-bar to a vehicle-tongue or for connecting whiffletrees to the ends of an evener bar. The mode of application in such case is obvious and is therefore not illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the cross-bar of a pair of thills, of an elongated plate secured to said bar and-having a central upwardly-proj ecting hub; a semicircular forwardly-pro jecting member connecting the respective ends of the plate and extending in front of the cross-bar; a whiffletree provided with a counterpart plate centrally recessed to receive said hub; a pivot bolt extending through the cross-bar, whifl'letree and the respective plates and hub; a forwardly-extending, semicircular member on the whiffletrea plate registering with the similar member of the cross-bar plate; a brace provided with a plate at its lower end, secured directly to the evener-bar and projecting from the bar rear wardly, upwardly and forwardly along a curved line, with its upper end embracing the whiffletree and pivotally connected to said pivot-bolt above the whiffletree; one of said forwardly-extending semicircular 1nembers being provided with a segmental rib interacting in a corresponding channel in the other member; said members being unsupported except from their respective plates.

2. The combination with the cross-bar of a pair of thills, of an elongated plate secured to said bar and having a central upwardly-projecting hub S, with a diameter nearly equal to the Width of the plate and a central reduced portion 9 extending upwardly therefrom; a semicircular forwardly projecting member connecting therespective ends of the plate and extending in front of the crossbar a Wlli'l'l'lGtl'GG provided with a counter part plate centrally recessed to receive said reduced upward extension 9 of the hub, and having a circular flange engaging the margin of the hub 8; a pivot-bolt extending cen trally through the crossbar, whifl'letree, and

the respective plates and hub; a forwardlyl extending semicircular member on the whii fletree -plate, registering With the similar member of the cross-bar plate; a brace provided with a plate at its lower end, secured directly to the evener-bar and projecting from the bar, rearwardly, upwardly and forwardly along a curved line, with its upper end pivotally connected to said pivot-bolt above the whirlletree one of said forwardly extending semicircular members being provided with a rounded segmental rib interacting in a corresponding channel in the other member; said members being unsupported except from their respective plates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTON J. BURGER.

Witnesses:

G120. H. SALEs, VAL. I-IENRICH, Jr. 

